The license renewal fee is $206.80 if the renewal application is received by Feb. 28, 2014. Late renewals will be assessed a late fee of $90. If a license remains expired for more than two years, it cannot be renewed and a new license application must be submitted. If a license renewal is submitted after the license expires, the license will be renewed only through the original expiration date of the license, regardless of when the renewal is submitted – DLI cannot prorate license fees or terms. For example, if a license was issued in 2013 with an expiration date of Feb. 28, 2014, and the licensee did not renew the license until September 2015, they would be required to pay the basic license renewal fee plus a $90 late fee, and the license would need to be renewed again on Feb.29, 2016. If that same licensee allowed the license to expire and did not submit a license renewal by Feb. 29, 2016, they would be required to submit a new license application and would receive a new license number.

Completing a renewal

The process for renewing an electrical contractor license is very similar to the process of applying for a new license. In order to renew, gather all of the documents required for a license renewal (including the renewal packet) before submitting the renewal and the fee. Do not submit a renewal until ALL of the required documents have been gathered in one packet:

Secretary of State filing must be current - provide proof that your business filing is active. A hard-copy of the page on the Secretary of State's website showing the business filing is sufficient.

It is critically important that all of these documents are completed fully and accurately. Mistakes, omissions or missing documents will cause significant delay in the processing of a renewal. Providing a valid email address will enable staff to communicate with applicants through email in the event there is a problem with a renewal, so the deficiency can be resolved and the renewal processed as quickly as possible.

Renewals can be submitted by mail or online. The mailing address is provided on the license renewal forms. Instructions for renewing online are provided below.

Renewing online

Renewing a license online helps speed the process by eliminating some of the handling steps on DLI's end, but does require applicants to scan and upload the license renewal application forms except bond documents. When renewing online, be sure to scan all of the documents as a single electronic file and have credit card information ready before visiting the online license renewal page. Applicants are able to make updates to information DLI has on file and upload a renewal packet as a single electronic file, not as separate documents. However, DLI must maintain your original bond in its files, so be sure to mail the original bond documents to DLI at the address provided on the top left corner of the bond form after you have scanned them and uploaded them.

Bond issues

All electrical contractors are required to submit a new $25,000 electrical code compliance bond when renewing a contractor license. As noted above, DLI must have the original bond documents, so these cannot be scanned and submitted online. Many license applications and renewals are delayed because of problems with the bond submitted by the contractor. To ensure applications are processed quickly, be sure to check the bond to make sure that all of these items are completed properly:

The “Effective Date” of the bond in the box in the upper right corner of the bond is listed as March 1, 2014.

An owner or officer of your company signs and dates the front page of the bond.

An owner or officer of your company signs the "acknowledgment of principal" section of the second page of the bond in front of a notary public.

The name of your company appears on the bond exactly as it is filed with the Secretary of State and DLI.

A power of attorney form completed by the bonding company is attached to the bond.

Late renewals

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 326B.092, subd. 3, a late fee of $90 will be assessed automatically when a completed renewal is not received in DLI's offices by the expiration date of a license. For electrical contractors, this means DLI must receive the completed renewal packet and $206.80 renewal fee by Feb. 28, 2014, or a $90 late fee will be charged in addition to the renewal fee. There are more than 2,700 licensed electrical contractors whose licenses expire in February 2014, so submitting a renewal close to the expiration date also means that DLI may not be able to process the renewal before the license expires, in which case the applicant will be considered to be unlicensed and unable to file requests for electrical inspection until the renewal is processed. To ensure no lapse in license status, please be sure to submit renewal applications as soon as possible.